ISLAMABAD: Non-textile exports climbed 17.66% to $4.73 billion in the first four months of the current fiscal year, compared to $4.02 billion in the same period last year, driven primarily by value-added products, according to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
The growth was led by raw food items and value-added categories such as leather, footwear, and engineering goods. Non-textile exports had already surged 24.95% in FY24, reaching $14.02 billion, up from $11.22 billion the previous year. This upward trend reflects increasing international demand and a steady inflow of export orders.
Key Sectoral Growth
- Engineering Goods: Exports rose 30.79%, driven by industrial machinery, transport equipment, auto parts, and rubber tyres.
- Cement: Export volumes grew 18.68%, while the sector recorded a 12.39% increase in value.
- Footwear and Leather: Footwear exports increased 4.89%, leather gloves rose 16.55%, and raw leather exports grew 4.94%, though leather garments saw a decline.
- Jewellery and Gems: Jewellery exports surged 111.19%, with gems up 7.79%.
Declining Sectors
- Surgical Instruments: Exports of surgical tools, a key industry, fell 2.70%, as major brands re-market these products abroad.
- Carpets and Sports Goods: Exports of carpets and rugs dropped 11.49%, while sports goods saw a slight decline of 0.96%.
- Gur and Handicrafts: Gur exports fell 30.05%, furniture declined 21.98%, and handicrafts dropped 38.90%.
Petroleum Sector Surge
Exports of petroleum crude doubled, recording 100% growth, while shipments of petroleum products skyrocketed by 530.49%.
Raw Food Exports
Raw food exports rose 21.73%, totaling $2.36 billion, up from $1.94 billion in the same period last year.
The consistent growth in non-textile exports reflects a promising shift towards diversification in Pakistan’s export portfolio, although challenges remain in certain declining sectors.
